Martin, when you say "they" I'm not sure who you mean but with head injuries consciousness is assessed on a scale rather than a yes or no answer.

The Glascow Coma Scale is something I've had experience with again this past week. Hit my head badly, assessed by ambulance, taken to hospital.

When the ambulance first arrived my GCS was a 14 because it was noted that I was not making normal verbal communication. I was apparently confused and disoriented and repeating myself over and over. Eye and Motor obs were apparently fine. It was observed that I had no actual LOC.

After 2 and 1/2 hours my GCS was good at a 15. It just measured that my verbal communication, my eye opening response, and my motor response were good.

I was stitched up, observed for a time and then sent home thankfully with the paper work and handouts for a Mild Head Injury and given all the warning signs to look out for in the days and weeks ahead. (I knew all that because it's not my first head injury)

You may have had a much lower GCS when first seen by ambulance or ER doctors but those scores aren't necessarily going to determine how you recover.

It really is a scale to allow those first responders and doctors to do their job in the moment. To watch if you improve or decline.

There are other obs that are important after a head injury including blood pressure, heart rate etc. Sometimes they're more important than anything because of risk of haemorrhage and other things.

You also sustained some other nasty injuries, so your body as well as your brain is going to need time to recover.

http://www.brainline.org/content/201...oma-scale.html
What Is the Glasgow Coma Scale?